World News

The Robert Blake trial is moving along nicely.

The Segway transition took me a second to get. I was still laughing from the Robert Blake stuff—“…knocking off his cat”…hehehe, it’s STILL funny.

‘A FLIGHT attendant who has undermined prosecution claims that Michael Jackson served alcohol to his accuser during a plane trip testified yesterday that the boy was unruly, rude and started a food fight.

Following News of Michael Jackson's Trial

What's one of the surest signs that China is aspiring for greater status and power? Meddling in African politics, of course:

China is increasingly making its presence felt on the continent - from building roads in Kenya and Rwanda to increasing trade with Uganda and South Africa. But critics say its involvement in politics could help prop up questionable regimes, like Mr. Mugabe's increasingly autocratic 25-year reign.

The promise of tax relief has reemerged as a dominant theme in Virginia politics as the likely candidates for governor, Democrat Timothy M. Kaine and Republican Jerry W. Kilgore, begin touring the state with competing plans to ease levies on homeowners.

The defence in the trial of Michael Jackson have been dealt a severe blow with the news that the mother of the boy he is alleged to have abused refused money from a mystery millionaire.

Following News of Michael Jackson's Trial

...John Kerry's assets exceed the total assets of all 51 republican senators combined by a very significant margin (35%). Repeat...all 51 republican Senators combined.

Following News of Michael Jackson's Trial

Rumours have suggested the 16-year-old’s record label Sony BMG may be about to drop her from their roster and its certainly been evident of late the label has been focusing its efforts on promoting Idol runner-up Anthony Callea, who has admittedly sold more records than Donovan.

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The fact the label didn’t even bother to send out a press release to announce, what is in effect, Donovan’s first solo Sydney show would appear to support the rumours.

With her second single languishing on the charts at No.32 after failing to reach higher than 18, it remains to be seen whether Sony BMG will even release a third single from here album For You.

Remember the story of Sandy Bergler and the missing classified documents? Well, he finally plead guilty to stealing the classified documents. But he and his fans can't seem to comprehend why we have laws in this country. When the news broke, Bill Clinton, the man who hired this guy to be National Security Advisor laughed....

Less than 24 hours ago, a new episode of Saturday Night Live concluded after featuring three notable satirical sketches about the 2004 Presidential Campaign. The show began with a spoof of the bin Laden tape, in which actor Seth Meyers depicted the terrorist, and a “translator” had his comments captioned as subtitles on the screen. The translation of bin Laden's comments included a general analysis of the election and: “2 representatives campaigning for Kerry dragged me to Cincinnati and registered me to vote...How is Kerry going to pay for healthcare after what my organization did to the US economy?...The candidates are not that different, although I cannot stand Teresa Heinz Kerry...I am undecided...Land of the Free, all men are created equal, and especially, Live from NY, it's Saturday night!” The show continued with a cartoon in which Sen. John McCain prepared for a speech, drank alcoholic beverages, banged his head, broke a mirror, interrupted himself several times during the actual speech performance, entered the Bush-Cheney '04 campaign trailer, fell over bleeding after dancing to the Doors' “This is the End,” and finished the speech without a shirt on, saying, “This is harder than I thought.” President Bush also paused during his speech for verbal cues. Finally, the political portion of the 10/30/2004 SNL episode concluded with a skit featuring Darrell Hammond as Bill Clinton, Seth Meyers as John Kerry, Maya Rudolph as Teresa Heinz Kerry, and other actors as people campaigning for Kerry. In the sketch, Teresa Heinz Kerry told John: “You look the same no matter how you feel,” while Clinton was coaching Kerry on how to approach the campaign and told him to say: “Ladies and gentlemen, I am proud to present President Bill Clinton.”

Such developments have begun to sway some of Borlaug’s opposition. The Committee on Sustainable Agriculture, a coalition of environmental and development-oriented groups, has become somewhat open to fertilizer use in Africa. “The environmental movement went through a phase of revulsion against any chemical use in agriculture,” says Robert Blake, the committee’s chairman. “People are coming to realize that is just not realistic. Norman has been right about this all along.” One reason the ground is shifting back...

In the evening we went out for dinner to a local brewery with the available speakers and organizers. Afterwards, some of the speakers (including me) went to a bar we got recommended from the organizers, named "electric ass" (freely translated). Also the name created some confusion (especially for our female guests), the place was really great. The music was pretty much my style (more or less rock and crossover), and I made a very funny experience: Imagine, you are coming from Germany, you're sitting in a bar in Canada and they start playing...

There were also boxes of books. In one, I found a book with a rather off-putting title, seemingly about politics, in which I had no interest: “The Story of A Secret State” by Jan Karski.

I'm no expert on Palestinean politics, but if legit, this would strike me as a rather big deal. As for the obvious stumbling block -- Hamas rejecting the existence of Israel, the PLO accepting it -- Zahar said, "we are renouncing not one iota of Palestinian land but we can reach a temporary compromise with other factions."

The problem here is the politics of SB 217. Conceivably the Senate leadership could usher this bill through quickly and declare that they have �fixed� the Medical Lawsuit issue.

‘Lisa Marie Presley aired her “Dirty Laundry” on “Oprah.” In the first of a two-part interview on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” to promote her new album, Presley spoke Monday about her brief marriage to Michael Jackson, who is on trial in Santa Maria, Calif., on child molestation charges.

Following News of Michael Jackson's Trial

‘Jurors in the Michael Jackson trial have heard evidence from the organiser of a comedy camp for underprivileged youth who introduced the superstar’s accuser, Gavin Arviso, to celebrities while the boy was being treated for cancer.

Following News of Michael Jackson's Trial

I’m tired, so I’m going to just go ahead and say that George W. Bush has defeated John Kerry. If I have to eat crow in the morning, or Thursday, or whenever the Democrats get done whining in court, I will… Off to bed for me.

I wouldn't have said so two weeks ago. But I've seen enough of these dramas unfold to know when I'm watching a new one, and now I am. You know the story line, which dates back to the Greeks: a powerful, hubristic leader is brought low by his own flaws. Think Jim Wright, Newt Gingrich, Bill Clinton.

James P. Rubin, Staatssekretär unter Bill Clinton, erklärt in der WELT, warum Paul Wolfowitz einen exzellenten Chef der Weltbank abgeben wird.

I don't think it's a matter of rhetoric alone; using a power/social roles framework rather than an identity framework also lets us escape traps from conservatives who pretend that treating people decently is somehow giving "minorities" "special rights" that everyone else doesn't have when we see that those steps are in place to protect the disempowered. It keeps people like one idiot I knew who was of White South African ancestry from claiming to be "African American." And it lets us effectively critique the claim that privileged minorities like...

Note: I’ve posted again a very sad posting that Mr. Stephen Kinsella had put on a rather catty web site that antiwar.com has created to post attacks on me. In any case, after I linked to it, they took it down and oddly replaced it with a colorful bit of revisionist (i.e., completely made up) history by Justin Raimondo. So here’s Mr. Kinsella’s defense of Lew Rockwell’s truly nutty belief that the black mayor of San Francisco called Condoleeza Rice before...

Finally, I should direct anyone who's interested in the matter to a remarkably sad comment by Mr. Kinsella, Lew Rockwell's most eager defender, at a little web site that they set up just to blog about me: http://ancapistan.typepad.com/the_palmer_periscope/2005/01/palmer_on_insan.html . It was in response to my blog entry on "Insanity" (http://www.tomgpalmer.com/archives/018243.php...

The President, Condoleeza Rice, and Dick Cheney are flying on Air Force One.

Gov. Rick Perry and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison are exchanging barbs over each other’s praise of former First Lady Hillary Clinton.

Monticello, of course, was the home of Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence. That document (as well as the U.S. Constitution, later) was signed in Independence Hall. The Statue of Liberty memorializes the free nation under God that those founding documents created.

As former US President Bill Clinton had said, it all depends on what is the meaning of the word "is".

MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who narrowly lost presidential polls in 2002, did not respond to Mugabe's comments during speeches Tuesday at two rallies in his home region of Bindura, 125 miles south of the capital.

"She said that you have made this court like O.J.'s court or Robert Blake's court, and you lied and changed the words around," Masada said.

Sound at all familiar? After consecutive losses in three congressional and two presidential campaigns, more than a few Democrats still take comfort from the fact that a switch of just 60,000 Ohio votes could have put John Kerry in the White House.

At one point, the boy told Masada that Michael Jackson was his "idol" and wanted to know if he could arrange a meeting. Masada made several phone calls, never reaching Jackson himself. Word got to Jackson, however, and the singer called the boy personally at the hospital in August 2000.

Lee Kuan-yew, the founding father of Singapore, advised people in Hong Kong on Wednesday to stay away from politics and stick to business, saying Beijing has no intention of allowing greater democracy in the territory.

Vang, president of Lao Human Rights Council, and other Hmong leaders here and nationwide have organized a petition drive and letter-writing campaign to President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, urging them to pressure Laos and Vietnam to end the genocide of Hmong tribes or help take them out of the country.

Again, it is not about politics, or religion, or the Extreme Right and The Left always hating them and vice versa.

Update: Apparantly Ogre at Ogre's Politics and Views had the same idea as I did but just a few minutes apart..... hmmmmm? Great Minds Think Alike? (yes, that was cajolery)

Mitofsky, Warren J. and Murray Edelman. 1995. "A Review of the 1992 VRS Exit Polls." Presidential Polls and the News Media. Eds. P. J. Lavrakas, M.W. Traugott, and P.V. Miller. Pp. 81-100. Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

"I have to say I'm more surprised than Robert Blake's attorneys."

So based on that exposure, which is very similar to what a lot of American's have, what are the issues of the last two weeks? Schiavo, steroids, social security (though no info here, just that Bush continues his campaign). And, oh yeah, some soldiers and Iraqis died in the war. Some soldiers came home to Oregon. Robert Blake was found innocent, Michael Jackson was sick and went to court in pajamas, and Scott Peterson got a death sentence. And that's it.

If you follow these rules, you'll certainly do fine as an attorney. But every once in a while (not all the time, or you might go bankrupt), you might want to consider throwing these rules aside and just going with your gut. That's what Gerald Schwartzbach, the attorney who just won Robert Blake's acquittal must have done. Though as described here, Schwartzbach was Blake's fourth attorney, the two hit it off. And Schwartzbach's risk has likely paid off because...

Get it? The point being made by both Kristof and Yglesias is about the political currency of validation. America has been a fundamentally majoritarian nation since its inception, and hopefully with the exception of the Senate, it’s likely to stay that way. We’re used to it. Americans have learned to live with being on the losing side of a given vote, election, or national dialogue. What they have not learned to live with, and probably never will, are political leaders who, in seeking to justify their decisions, simply refuse to recognize...

In previous decades, famous ads were candidate ads—Johnson’s “Daisy” ad in 1964, Bush’s “Revolving Door” ad in 1988, and Reagan’s “Bear in the Woods” ad in 1984. However, today’s advertisements are broadcast not only by candidates, but also by parties, groups, and individuals. For example, the Sierra Club ran spots attacking the environmental record of Texas Governor George W. Bush and even a private individual in 2000 (Sam Wylie of Texas) spent a million dollars on ads attacking Senator John McCain.

David at GreenCine points to Patrick Walsh's insightful discussion of teaching Western films in Germany. Walsh's stated intention was to use the Western to "guide [his] students toward a consideration of American manhood," but students instead identified the Western with George W. Bush's "cowboy" persona and instead used the course to think about "American self-sanctioned violence."

The decadent buffoon Bill Clinton sent armed agents from the INS to seize a small boy from an American family – despite rulings by the majestic and infallible Florida courts granting custody of the boy to that very family.

Suffering from “O.J. Syndrome,” the now unemployable actor Robert Blake seems to be working undercover for the LAPD Vice Squad—fulfilling a lifelong dream to work as he acted in law enforcement.

Of course, it was a COMPLETELY different matter LAST week, when Condoleeza Rice berated the EC for suggesting that the emarbargo on the sale of arms to China be lifted. After all, as Rice said:

I just read the very interesting interview the Washington Post did with Condoleeza Rice. There are three issues I want to highlight in it, but I’ll post each separately. The first is about Egypt. For about a quarter century, the primary objective of the Mubarak regime and its most important claim to both international and domestic legitimacy has been that it has delivered stability. Stability is Mubarak’s mantra and his raison d’etre. For a long time, that was one of the main reason Egypt was an important US ally. For a while now there has been a lot of talk about how the neo-con plan for the Middle East changes all that, but it hadn’t really been applied towards Cairo. I wonder if that is beginning to change:

But then, of course. China goes ahead and makes the anti-secession law….and passes it with a rubber stamp vote from its Peoples Congress. I am happy to see that Europe finally has the sense to see President Bush’s viewpoint that China is an emerging threat to the stability of east Asia. And kudos for Condoleeza Rice for putting up a solid face of this viewpoint on her recent trip to the Far East. Reports put the march in Taipei at between 500k and 1 million people. Given that the population of Taiwan is just 23 million…it is indeed a spectacular showing of people power.

The famous "facts on the ground" continue to be unilaterally massaged by the Zionist state as it attempts to cut losses and consolidate 'keepers'. The premise is that in the end game, the only facts that matter will be the 'facts on the ground' and the ability to defend them politically and, perhaps, physically. The year-long duplicity remained largely unchallenged till the US was challenged to clarify its position last month. That 'clarification' has become very muddled with Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice currently denying any disagreement with Israel over Jewish settlements out of one side of her mouth while asserting US commitment to the terms of the road map out of the other - obvious double-speak on Iseraeli Public Radio Sunday:

Now, the big question is who should replace him? Its been rumored that Bill Clinton would very much be interested in the post. I’m not so sure that, depending on who else is in the running for the post, I wouldn’t be in favor of such a thing.

Financial numbers of all kinds annually reach "record" levels until inflation and buying power are taken into account. At the end of Bill Clinton's second term, the defense budget was at a "record" level, but adjusted for inflation was nearly 50 percent lower than the peak Ronald Reagan budget. If Social Security payments were not indexed for inflation, they would still set a "record" every year while annually declining in real value. Etc. It's an embarrassment to journalism when big news organizations act as if they don't know about real-dollar valuation. ATSRTWT (Note that this was a year ago; as my dad used to say: palooka change)

The report that President Bush had cut short his weekend ranch getaway to rush back to Washington to sign brain-damage legislation may have disappointed many Americans, but it was, no doubt, news that was greeted with joy by this country’s comedians. For this is satire served them on a silver platter. George Bush's defending the brain dead is too good to be true. It's Dan Quayle judging a spelling bee; Bill Clinton teaching at a girl’s school; Jesse Jackson advising job-hunters; Janet Reno giving beauty tips; OJ Simpson coaching anger management. At a time when many citizens are questioning the President’s pandering to the Religious Right, I’m starting to wonder if he isn’t getting kickbacks from the writers at Saturday Night Live.

Dick Morris, Bill Clinton's former poll-meister, has this on Hillary's move to the center. As before, keep in mind where she really stands.

I could go on. But for Gier to look to Robbins and Gerety for guidance in an intramural Reformed theology debate over the nature of the Covenant is like looking to Bill Clinton for lessons in marital faithfulness.

Although Post reporter Mike Allen obtained the memo from an "unimpeachable" source, he denies that source was former President Bill Clinton, who survived an impeachment attempt.

john refuese to vote to impeach bill clinton and communist for john kerry .com john join commist jane fonda in prottest the warr and john voted to cut every law enforcement c.i.a. and defense thank you.

For example, here's one trail: The Life Legal Defense Foundation, an anti-abortion organization, has spent over $300,000 on Schindlers' lawyers. Their support comes largely from the Alliance Defense Fund, which receives money from conservative foundations which are part of the Philanthropy Roundtable, such as the Bradley Foundation. The Family Research Council, which filed a pro-Bush amicus brief, also received bucks from the Bradley group. A coalition of disability organizations, who have been very vocal, also get money from Roundtable members like the Scaife Family Foundation, which largely funded the merciless persecution of Bill Clinton.

The Democratic Party has been pro-trade since Franklin Roosevelt, and President Bill Clinton in particular tugged the party to embrace the realities of trade. Now the party may be retreating toward protectionism under the guise of labor standards.

As I think about this, I’m reminded of something Bill Clinton once said about debt releif: No one talks about it, because no one will lose an election for not talking about it. This seems to be kind of the same issue. Hard as I try, I can’t locate a domestic political constituency that would united behind an issue like this. This is a fundamental weakness of Bush’s global-democratization strategy: The sacrifices we’d have to make for it to work, in terms of setting a moral example for the world, benefit other nations but get voted on by us. This is not to say that Americans are too selfish to vote for someone else’s wellbeing. The problem is that they don’t know whether something is beneficial to someone else’s wellbeing, because they observe the same local world whether it gets done or not. No American will ever suffer, at least directly and in the short-term, if we fail to promote a culture of accountability in Iraq. As a result, there’s just no bloc of voters that punishes politicians for welching on their obligations to other people.

New York senator and former first lady Hillary Clinton has launched an attack on violent videogames, singling out Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto titles as a "major threat" to morality.

"My father joined the United States Army for two months and became an American citizen," he said. "So then he sent for me. The Statue of Liberty was a good sight to see after being on that ship for so long."

The former diplomats, who have served presidents from Richard Nixon to Bill Clinton, took issue with what they said was Bolton's view that the United Nations is valuable only when it directly serves the interest of the Unites States.

Kefaya will also ask for the appointment of "a constitutional assembly to draft a new constitution" and for "a transitional period" before organizing presidential polls under the new constitution," Isaac also said.

March 29 (Bloomberg) -- If you thought (hoped? prayed?) that the Larry Summers controversy at Harvard University was over, consigned at last to the dustbin of pop history somewhere between the Ben and J-Lo romance and the Robert Blake murder trial, then you underestimated the geniuses on the school's faculty of arts and sciences.

Michael Jackson's jury will begin hearing allegations of past sexual misconduct against the singer in about two weeks.

Politics have no part in this, it should be between the Dr's and her husband, this girl has been like this for 15 years.

In his opening campaign speech, Mugabe launched a stinging attack on U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice because she had described Zimbabwe as one of the last "outposts of tyranny."

After all, when you spend your waking hours blaming all of society's ills on liberal, liberal, liberal commie pinkos like Jane Fonda, Charles Schumer, Barbara Boxer and that Tokyo Rose of the left, Hillary Clinton, consider how Terri Schiavo has bollixed the rhetorical Abu Ghraib of talk radio.

Organizers billed the protest as a "peace carnival." A woman dressed as the Statue of Liberty waved her torch at the crowds, while a five-story-high white balloon representing peace was erected at the protest site.

His interest in politics was spawned by his father and grandfather and what he considers great Democratic leaders of the past, including former presidents Bill Clinton, Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy.

White House press secretary Scott McClellan said President George W. Bush plans to visit the Netherlands and the ex-Soviet republics of Georgia and Latvia in May, during a previously announced trip to Russia to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II.

Tsvangirai narrowly lost presidential polls in 2002 that were also condemned by observers as deeply flawed by political intimidation and vote rigging.

CRAWFORD -- Months after he endorsed Democrat John Kerry for president, the mayor of the tiny town made famous by President Bush's ranch has decided not to seek reelection. Mayor Robert Campbell said his decision had nothing to do with fallout from his decision to join the National Conference of Black Mayors in endorsing Kerry. Instead, he cited differences with the City Council. ''I think the city needs to go in one way, and apparently the City Council wants it to go another way," said Campbell, who has been mayor for seven years. ''It's time to get out of the way." Campbell, 61, clashed with councilors over proposals to build a new subdivision in the town of 705 residents. The subdivision project was approved in January over his objections. (AP)

UNDATED Michael Jackson says he's drawing on his faith in God to help him get through his child-molestation trial.

Most rational people look at a problem, the possible solutions and make the best choice. But the Mississippi Legislature is driven by politics and, when it comes to politics, forget rational.

US Secretary of State Dr. Condoleeza Rice made it clear that the American position has not changed. She referred to the issue in an interview with the Israeli media: ‘While we are not determining the permanent settlement in advance, the changes on the ground and the fact that there are large settlement blocs, must be taken into account in any permanent settlement negotiations… I regret that people have tried to sow confusion but there is no confusion here, there are political issues in Israel regarding everything related to this, but nobody can say that there is no agreement between the two governments.  There is an agreement, it was achieved on 14 April 2004 and I hope that I have clarified matters.’

"I've never seen the Statue of Liberty," says Moochie. "I want to stand at the top of the Statue of Liberty and look out. That's my No. 1 goal while I'm in New York."

NEWARK, N.J. - Robert C. Janiszewski, the state chairman for Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign who turned government informant after being confronted with his own misdeeds, was sentenced Thursday to 41 months in prison for taking bribes.

April 4 issue - When he was governor of Texas, George W. Bush presided over 152 executions, more than took place in the rest of the country combined. In at least a few of these cases, reasonable doubts about the guilt of the condemned were raised. But Bush cut his personal review time for each case from a half hour to a mere 15 minutes (most other governors spend many hours reviewing each capital case to assure themselves that there's no doubt of guilt). His explanation was that he trusted the courts to sort through the life-and-death complexities. That's right: the courts.

Kyrgyz parliamentarians took further steps March 26 to erase the remnants of ousted President Askar Akayev’s rule as they set 26 June as the date for new presidential polls.

CRAWFORD, Texas A Texas mayor who infuriated many constituents by endorsing John Kerry for president won't be seeking re-election.

Pop star Michael Jackson plans to talk Sunday morning, to the Reverend Jesse Jackson on the civil rights leader's radio show.

"But to say that particular issue, and there are other issues that are, it seems to me are issues that are of concern to me that are also political issues because it's been politics that has to make judgments on it.

So said the US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice on arriving in New Delhi recently. In the past, Henry Kissinger affected a love of football to aid diplomatic relations, but for an American to say that she will make an effort with cricket shows both how important the sport is in Asia and how important Asia is in the global game.

"Immigrants are integral to our history. And they're integral to our future," says Rheda Vargas, owner of Baby Boomer's Luncheonette in Nampa. Her grandparents came to the United States from Germany. Vargas was one of three business owners who helped kick off a poster campaign in support of immigrants. The poster, featuring the Statue of Liberty, says "Immigration is an American experience. Acceptance is an American value."

NEWARK, N.J. - Robert C. Janiszewski, the state chairman for Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign who turned government informant after being confronted with his own misdeeds, was to be sentenced Thursday for taking bribes.

Kyrgyzstan's new leaders cemented their grip on power Friday, naming an acting head of state and top ministers and announcing fresh presidential polls while seeking to restore calm and reassure allies.

Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry repeatedly asserted that President Bush let bin Laden escape by using Afghan forces instead of American troops against al Qaeda in Tora Bora.

NEW YORK (AP) - Donald Trump might not want Michael Jackson to perform in Las Vegas after all.

That really is the reason we have come to this politics of values, the politics of imposing the victor's values on friends and foes alike. The government is big. The government is arrogant. The government is intrusive. The only difference now is what the holders of the power of the moment choose to do with it -- and to us.

Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, in India last week, told Prime Minister Singh that the United States will help India become a major world power in the 21st century.

AUSTIN Senator Hillary Clinton says Democrats must be patient and steadily show support for Democratic candidates if the party is to regain power.

The Freedom Tower, a 70-story office tower with an off- center spire meant to evoke the Statue of Liberty, is expected to be the world's tallest building when it's completed by 2009. Other Libeskind projects include the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco, the Jewish Museum Berlin and the $100 million Creative Media Center for the City University of Hong Kong.

After earning her B.A. degree, Kearney was hired by the State of Arkansas in 1978, where she spent three years as a program manager for the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act program, and another six years as the director of information for the national headquarters of the Migrant Student Records Transfer System. Leaving government work, Kearney purchased the Arkansas State Press newspaper from Daisey Bates in 1987. She published the weekly paper for five years before joining the Clinton-Gore presidential campaign in 1992, where she served as director of minority media outreach. The following year, Kearney joined President Bill Clinton's transition team. She began with the White House Media Affairs Office before being appointed as the director of public affairs and communications for the U.S. Small Business Administration, where she worked until 1995. That year, Kearney became the first presidential diarist in U.S. history, chronicling President Clinton's day-to-day life. She remained in this capacity until President Clinton left office. Kearney came under scrutiny during the Starr Committee proceedings when her diary and testimony were subpoenaed. No wrongdoing was found.

White House press secretary Scott McClellan said President George W. Bush plans to visit the Netherlands and the ex-Soviet republics of Georgia and Latvia in May, along with a previously announced trip to Russia to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II.

District Attorney Steve Cooley says Robert Blake was "guilty as sin" and the jurors who acquitted him of murder were "incredibly stupid."

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (AP) - A Secret Service forensic scientist testified in Michael Jackson's child molestation trial today.

Finally, motor-racing has just about overtaken politics as the focus of Formula One in 2005.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice said the U.S. government has contacted the Sudanese government and has asked the African Union to launch an immediate investigation into the incident.

McALLEN — Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-New York, visited the McAllen home of bank chairman and real estate developer Alonzo Cantu on Tuesday for a private, $500-a-ticket luncheon that raised as much as $125,000 for her 2006 re-election campaign.

The tired and poor whom the Statue of Liberty welcomes describe the pain of disinvitation in "Persons of Interest," a tenderhearted series of incarceration horror stories. After the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, many Arabs or Muslims living in the United States had their immigrant status checked in ways that seemed often arbitrary, sometimes systematic and mostly inhumane.

Former US President Bill Clinton, the UN's Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery, will visit Sri Lanka again shortly. His visit is aimed at reviewing the progress of tsunami recovery measures in Sri Lanka and exploring further avenues for UN participation in such activities.

Most observers have given the 13 March parliamentary and presidential polls a clean bill of health but on Tuesday Union of Active Forces of the Nation (UFVN) leader Joseph Douacle cried foul.

Robert Blake talks to ABC News' Barbara Walters in his first interview after being acquitted of murder charges on Tuesday, March 22. (AP Photo/ABC, Ida Mae Astute)

WASHINGTON -- The vote dogged Sen. John Kerry during his presidential bid last fall, giving rise to the label “flip-flopper.”

" Most elected officials start out with a humble desire to serve their communities but get lost in the politics and power associated with the office," England said. "It doesn't take long to see who's who. George has not lost his way."

Palanker said she tried to get in touch with the mother after seeing the TV documentary "Living With Michael Jackson" in which Jackson and his accuser held hands, and Jackson acknowledged letting children sleep in his bed.

New Delhi should see recent developments, including the visits of Ms Condoleeza Rice, former Japanese Primer Minister Mori and the forthcoming visit of Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, in the light of these factors. While the focus of attention of Ms Rice’s visit was on her concerns about the gas pipeline from Iran, she did make some significant comments in Delhi and Islamabad. In Islamabad she unambiguously stated that the US was opposed to violence and terrorism in J&K. She also recognized that the road to an “eventual resolution” in J&K would take time because of “deep divisions” in the positions of India and Pakistan.

Hillary Clinton has won a dispute with an Italian domain name squatter over the rights to HillaryClinton.com. A panel of arbiters ruled on Mar. 18 that because Michele Dinoia of Pineto, Italy did not respond during the dispute proceedings, Dinoia had no "rights and legitimate interests in the domain name."

NEW YORK -- When Viki Dirdrich visited New York City for the first time this February, she bypassed a tour of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, skipped a stroll through Central Park and took a rain check on a ride to the top of the Empire State Building.

That was the year then-U.S. Rep. Graham helped make the case against President Bill Clinton during the impeachment scandal, and the national news shows couldn’t get enough of him.

HOUSTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush's intervention for Terri Schiavo has opened old wounds in Texas where death penalty opponents say his words of support for a "culture of life" ring hollow after so many executions during his time as governor of the state.

The Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, which followed closely fought presidential polls in 2002, has been used to shut down a number of independent newspapers and arrest their journalists.

NEW YORK (AP) - Robert Blake says he's a free man because of Barbara Walters.

Bourbon Princess, a four-piece, bass-driven ensemble hailing from the rich city that produced both John Kerry and the Boondock Saints, fails to attract the same cult following of their fellow Bostonians.

Michael Jackson was moving slowly and gingerly when he arrived at a California courthouse Tuesday.

Again, politics as usual is intervening.

US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice said immediately that Washington has not sanctioned any Israeli military strike against Iranian nuclear sites.

He also accused Sao Tome's President Fradique de Menezes, closely linked to the main opposition Democratic Movement of Forces of Change (MDFM), of unscrupulously attempting to discredit his likely rivals in presidential polls expected in 2006.

LOS ANGELES A barrage of criticism has a former juror in the Robert Blake trial singing the blues.

Former Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards declined to say Thursday whether he ever promised to stay out of the campaign for president in 2008 if his former running mate, Sen. John Kerry, seeks the party's nomination again.

Politics has pulled the plug on pop after Lebanon’s first ever entry to the Eurovision Song Contest was withdrawn due to the presence of Israeli participants in the competition.

There will be no changes in the menu - including the Robert Blake special of fusilli, spinach, tomatoes and garlic - or staff, Epstein told the Daily News. Liebenau, former owner of the popular Jinky's breakfast spot in nearby Sherman Oaks, will soon greet diners at Vitello's.

"As Senator Clinton said after the election, she thinks John Kerry ran a strong campaign," said Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines.

He also said that it was unfair that Michael Jackson's jury has no black members and he challenged a reporter to imagine a situation in which a white person would be charged with molestation and have a predominantly black jury.

BLACKSBURG - The odd couple of politics traded jabs over Iraq, the growing federal deficit and last election's "moral issues" in front of a packed house Thursday at Virginia Tech. But most of the political punches thrown by James Carville and Mary Matalin were not at each other but at audience members who came armed with pointed questions.

Bill Clinton and wife Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) are in line for a modest tax break - $250.76, to be exact - on their home on Old House Lane in Chappaqua, Westchester County, the Daily News learned yesterday.

"The site actually . . . gives the idea and meaning to the artwork itself and is specific only to that site," Myers said. "Would the Statue of Liberty work in Maine?"

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, I don't -- oh, you mean a disclosure, "I'm George W. Bush, and I" --

Rice held talks with Karzai, who won the country's first ever presidential polls last October, and senior Afghan officials on how the United States could help rebuild the country.

Robert Blake, right, kisses his attorney M. Gerald Schwartzbach as Schwartzbach holds up Blake's ankle monitor after Blake was found not guilty in his murder trial for the death of his wife Bonny Lee Bakley in Los Angeles Wednesday, March 16, 2005. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)

In response, Republican National Committee spokesman Brian Jones said, "It's disappointing that John Kerry would employ such overtly partisan and obstructionist rhetoric at a time when most Americans want to see Congress engaged in solving problems, not over-the-top attacks."

Pop star Michael Jackson arrives at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse, Thursday, March 17, 2005 in Santa Maria, Calif., to begin the fourteenth day in Jackson's trial on charges of child molestation. (AP Photo/Michael A. Mariant)

A Fairfield University politics professor who ran unsuccessfully for congress in 1984, said Wednesday he is exploring a challenge to Sen. Joe Lieberman in 2006.

Kashani sees the fund-raiser simply as a chance for the community to hear an exciting politician share her views, but some in the Iranian community in the U.S. believe it would help brand Hillary Clinton as the "pro-mullah" candidate for president.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Bill Clinton has beens released from the hospital, four days after surgery to remove fluid and scar tissue that accumulated in his chest after his heart-bypass operation last year.

Welch also hailed as "historic" Mubarak's decision to amend Egypt's constitution to allow for the first competitive presidential polls next September.

"No, I didn't want to be part of Michael Jackson's family, I never wanted that." the boy said. "I looked at him as a father figure and he looked at me as a son."

US President George W. Bush also barred Sinn Fein leaders from his Saint Patrick's Day celebrations this week to protest what one aide described as IRA "thuggery and gangsterism."

(Los Angeles, California-AP) March 10, 2005 - Jurors in the Robert Blake murder trial have ended their fifth day of deliberations without reaching a verdict.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. media coverage of last year's election was three times more likely to be negative toward President George W. Bush than Democratic challenger John Kerry, according to a new study released on Monday.

"After you met with an attorney you came up with a story that you were masturbated by Michael Jackson," Mesereau said.

"Cricket can be a great instrument for normalisation of relations between the two estranged neighbours. Politics seems to have been clean bowled by cricket this time," quipped Qadir who tormented many an Indian batsmen during his illustrious career.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Jurors in the Robert Blake murder trial resumed deliberations Friday, the fifth day the panel has considered the case.

WASHINGTON — John Kerry's wife sang about how happy she is that he wasn't elected. Karl Rove revealed his successful strategy for winning President Bush a second term. Wannabe presidential candidates pressed for advantage in the 2008 race.

Serial Pursuit Crime Trivia QuizMichael JacksonSerial PursuitMary Kay Letourneau BTK Serial Killer

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Jurors in the murder case against actor Robert Blake deliberated for three hours Monday without reaching a verdict - and without making any requests to review trial testimony or evidence.

WASHINGTON - John Kerry's wife sang about how happy she is that he wasn't elected. Karl Rove revealed his successful strategy for winning President Bush a second term. Wannabe presidential candidates pressed for advantage in the 2008 race.

LOS ANGELES - Attorneys for Michael Jackson were expected to step up their courtroom grilling of his teenage accuser, as the pop idol's child sex abuse trial enters its third week Monday.

BEIRUT, Lebanon -- Hezbollah intends to take a more active role in Lebanese politics but won't disarm as long as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict persists, a leader in the guerrilla group said Friday, as its ally Syria nearly completed its troop pullback in Lebanon far sooner than expected.

ST. PAUL (AP) - U.S. Senator and former First Lady Hillary Clinton will be the keynote speaker at the DFL's annual Hubert H. Humphrey Day Dinner.

The man who made the Statue of Liberty disappear in front of millions paid a visit to the Carlson Center on Tuesday night, making the northern chill vanish for at least a couple of hours and magically sending one person to the Philippines to splash about on a beach.

The graphic details the problems which are forcing former President Bill Clinton to undergo surgery again for a heart-related condition. (AP Graphic)

A third European diplomat said the whole process may be in a state of limbo until after Iran's presidential polls in June decide whether pragmatists or Revolutionary Guard hardliners take power.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Jurors in the Robert Blake murder trial Wednesday asked to review testimony from three people at the restaurant where the actor and his wife had dinner before she was shot and killed in May 2001.

Elizabeth Edwards is recovering from surgery performed Monday in Boston to remove a cancerous breast tumor first diagnosed while her husband, former Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards, was campaigning as John Kerry's running mate.

Michael Jackson has explained the reason he arrived over an hour late to his child molestation trial Thursday - he tripped and injured his back.

Plant, 49, who represents the Vancouver-area riding of Richmond-Steveston, is getting out of politics for good.

March 11 - Hillary Clinton is keeping unusual company these days. She was in Iraq with John McCain. She cosponsors legislation with South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, who was one of the House managers pressing for her husband’s impeachment. And this week, she stood shoulder to shoulder with two of the Senate’s most right-wing members, Rick Santorum and Sam Brownback, to introduce a bill to examine the impact of the dreaded evil media on children, the kind of legislation that normally sends shivers down every liberal spine.

Nine years after someone ripped off her arm, the miniature Statue of Liberty at Alki Beach has been vandalized again. This time, the seven rays on her bronze crown are missing.

THURSDAY, March 10 (HealthDay News) -- Former President Bill Clinton underwent successful surgery Thursday to correct minor complications that arose after his quadruple heart bypass operation last September.

March 12 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush said opponents of his proposal to overhaul Social Security are ``playing down the problem'' and called for lawmakers to discuss a range of fixes, including raising the retirement age.

NANTERRE, France (Reuters) - Two years before the presidential polls he dreams of contesting, France's leading conservative Nicolas Sarkozy is using his wealthy fiefdom west of Paris to test policies he would implement as the country's leader.

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Jurors in the Robert Blake murder trial ended their fifth day of deliberations Thursday without reaching a verdict.

There came a moment in the past presidential campaign when someone asked John Kerry if he considered himself a liberal. That moment defined Kerry's problem and the problem facing the Democratic Party today.

"After you met with an attorney, you came up with a story that you were masturbated by Michael Jackson," said Mesereau.

Hezbollah has decided to become more involved in the country's politics because "we felt that Lebanon today is at a crossroad, and this requires that we be more active internally," Hezbollah's deputy leader, Sheik Naim Kassem, said in an interview with The Associated Press.